PRT comment: HMPPS pauses plans to build 500 new prison places in the women’s estate

Commenting on the announcement that HMPPS has paused plans to build 500 new prison places in the women’s estate, Emily Evison, women’s policy lead at the Prison Reform Trust, said:

“We welcome the announcement that controversial plans to build 500 new places in the women’s prison estate have been put on pause. We are concerned however, that without the expansion the remaining funding allocated for the expansion will instead be siphoned off into the male estate.

“This money could have a real impact if diverted towards community alternatives to women’s imprisonment, where funding remains short-term and inconsistent. It would enable the government to double down on a core aim of its own Female Offender Strategy Delivery Plan to reduce the numbers of women in prison and limit the use of pointless short prison sentences.”